Oil burning apparatus



' Dec. 26, 1939. 1.. WINTER OIL BURNING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 11, 1938 INVENTOR: Zoazs T/Vz'n Z21;

A hH

' ATTORNEY.

Dec. 26, 1939. LW INTER 2,184 967 OIL BURNING APPARATUS Filed April 11,1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FlE-Ji- W n-...= I a lllllll INVENTOR:

BY W

ATTORNEY.

\ Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I OIL BURNINGAPPARATUS Louis Winter, Reifiton, Pa.

Application April 11, 1938, Serial No. 201,306

11 Claims.

This invention relates particularly to oil firing of heating apparatusfor homes and other buildings with an oil burner having features ofgenerating the combustible mixture and flame distribution as hereindescribed.

One object of my invention is to provide a novel oil burning unit ofthis type which embodies certain new features of construction andoperation resulting in a higher'degree of simplicity, efiiciency andeconomy than the units heretofore available for this purpose.

Another object is to provide a novel oil burner for such units.

Another object is to provide such an oil burner which generates acombustible mixture by simultaneous vaporization and atomization, orspraying action, of the liquid fuel.

A further object is to provide such a burnerwith a novel oil potarrangement capable of combining the vaporized fuel with the sprayed oratomized fliel within the pot to effect a com bustible mixture. v

A still further object is to provide such an oil burner with an airdistributing arrangement which will produce smokeless blue flames in thecombustion chamber and consume the generated mixture by effectingsmokeless burning of the fuel, in one or more stages of combustion.

Another object is to provide such a burner with an air distributingarrangement which is capable of continuing combustion of the generatedmedium in the upper region of the combustion chamber. x

Another object is to provide suchea burner with a novel annular pilotflame arrangement which functions to maintain the burner in preheatedcondition and to facilitate ignition.

An additional obfect is to provide such a burner with a novelcombination spark and pilot flame 4o ignition arrangement.

Another object is to provide such a burner with a jump spark ignitionarrangement which will not become fouled with soot.

Another object is the provision ofsuch a burner in which ignition of thegenerated medium is effected without resorting to high pressure feedingof the oil or air. 1

Another object is to provide a burner of this type having an oil potarrangement capable of producing an oil spray efiecting a balancedflame.

A further object is to provide an oil burning unit having some or all ofthe foregoing features and which has a gravity oil feed arrangement anda low pressure air feed system.

with these and other objects in view. which will become apparent fromthe following detailed description of-various practical and illustrativeembodiments of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, theinvention comprises the novel elements, features of construction and 5arrangement of parts in cooperative relationship in an oil burning unitand an oil burner as hereinafter set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a schematic view, partly in vertical 10 section, of one formof my novel oil burning apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a detail cross-sectional view of my novel oil burner shown inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the oil 15 burner shown in Fig.2, taken substantially as indicated by the arrows 33 on said Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but of a modified form ofconstruction, certain of the elements shown in Fig. 1 beingincluded inorder to 20 illustrate their cooperative relationship; and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially as indicatedby the arrows 5-5 on Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar 25 reference charactersdesignate similar parts, it will. be noted from Fig. 1 that my novel oilburning apparatus comprises an oil burner III, suitably mounted'in thelower end of a combustion chamber II,'of a furnace, .or heater I2, of 30any standard type.

V For illustrative purposes, the combustion chamber is shown as beingcylindrical, and the heater I 2 is shown as comprising a water boiler I3which surrounds the combustion chamber II, a down 35 draft heat chamberI4, and a horizontal duct I5 which connects the upper ends of thechambers I I and I4. Although not shown, it will be understood that theheater I2 is also provided with the usual and well known appurtenancesand fixtures so that it may perform its intended function and beconnected to a heating system in. customary manner. I v

v The lower end of the chamber l4 communicates with a heater basecompartment I6 from 45 which extends an outle'tpipe I! for directing thespent gases from the chamber I4 to a chimney.

Leading to the oil burner I 0, is an air conduit I8 through which airunder pressure is conducted to the burner I0, from a motor driven 50fan, or blower I9.

- Also entering the bottom of the oil burner m, is a fuel oil feed lineor pipe 2|, having connected therein, between the burner l0 and an oilreservoir or'tank 32, a standard flow regu- 55 therein, as the oil risesin the mentioned annular lating valve 22, a magnetically operated valve23, an emergency valve 33 and a float valve 34.

. The valve 23 is operated by a standard electromagnetic unit 25,connected in an automatic electric control system of the typeconstituting usual equipment of modern oil burning units. In the presentinstance, this control system includes a thermostatic temperaturecontrol switch 24, a burner ignition spark element 21, a spark coil 26,and a thermostatic spark control switch 29, all of which devices arewell known and are therefore only diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, which are detail viewsof one form of my novel oil burner shown in Fig. 1, it will be notedthat the burner l comprises an oil pot having a cylindrical casing 35,which is open at its top and has a conically shaped bottom 36, providedwith a series of vertical apertures 31, which extend entirely throughthe conically shaped bottom thereby to permit the air from the conduitl8 to flow into the interior of the cylindrical oil pot or burner It]. Abase plate 38, suitably connected to the casing 35, forms a closuremember at the bottom of the burner Ill. The plate 38 is provided with acentrally located flange 39 in which the conduit 18 is secured. The oilfeed line 2|, extends through an aperture in the base plate 38 and issecured in the conically shaped bottom part 36 of the burner ID in suchmanner that the oil will flow into the annular trough formed between theconical bottom part 36 and the inner wall of the casing 35.

The upper part of the casing 35 is flanged as at 41 and is seatedin anannular groove in the base plate 42 of the heater I2. The casing 35,near its bottom, is also provided with an annular series of apertures43, which are downwardly inclined toward the inside and function as airinlets for directing the air surrounding the burner, under atmospheric,pressure, into the interior of the oil pot or burner In.

An air stack, or cylinder 44 is centrally mounted in the base part 36and extends upwardly beyond the oil pot into the combustion chamber H ofthe heater H2. The stack 44 is closed at its upper end and is open atits lower end to permit the air from the conduit l8 to flow upwardlytherethrough. One or more annular series of upwardly inclined air outletapertures 45 are provided in the stack 44, arranged to effect apredetermined amount of air to flow into the com-.

bustible mixture or medium surrounding the stack, so as to bring aboutcombustion of the fuel in one or more stages.

with cup-shaped enlargements-46, for the purpose of permitting the oilfrom the line 2|, to flow trough. The rate of flow of the oil isadjusted so that it does not reach the upper ends of the remainingapertures 31, due to their location at a higher elevation in the conicalfloor of the pot. This arrangement effects an initial vertical sprayaction or atomization of the oil as induced by the air under pressurefrom the conduit l8, at the point where the cup-shaped enlargements 46are conductor 41, which extends into the upper end of the burner and isso arranged that a spark will jump from this conductor either to the casing 35, or the stack 43.

The oil burner unit shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, operates as follows: I

When the temperature at the control switch 24 reaches the point at whichit functions to operate the electrical system, the valve 23 opens andoil flows into the trough in the floor of the pct 35, through line 28,at the rate of flow to which control valve 22 is adjusted. A uniformpressure exists in this oil line due to the level maintained in floatchamber 34.

At the same time that the oil begins to flow, the blower I9 is caused tooperate and air under pressure is delivered to the interior of the oilpot. Simultaneously with the flow of air and oil, the ignition sparkleaps from the conductor 41.

As the oil rises in theaforementioned trough it finds its way into thethree cups 46. From these cups it is blown into a vertical spray byreason of the air-pressure existing in the centrally located conicallyshaped air chamber at the bottom of the burner. apertures 31 having thecup-shaped enlargements at their upper ends, as well as all the others.The air from the other apertures 31 serves to help break up the oilspray and blow the same out of the pot. These latter apertures functionas vertical air jets which create a suction action within the oil pot,which in turn causes air at atmospheric pressure to enter the potthrough apertures 43. e

The oil spray is ignited by the jump spark leaping from the conductor41, which projects into the sprayed oil.

Asthe flame increases, the oil spray is converted, or changed, intovapor, thus creating a rich combustible mixture. The flame in the potabout this time becomesextinguished and combustion is thereaftersupported by the air issuing from the air stack 44. The air jets fromthis stack then form individual jets of blue flame resembling Bunsenflames, which reach to the side wall-of the combustion chamber ll.

The suction action of the vertical air jets issuing from the apertures31, causes air to, enter or be drawn through apertures 43 and this airfills the slight vacuum space created. When the pot becomes suflicientlyhot, vapor or gas rises from the oil in the \trough which in turn mixeswith the air entering through apertures 43 and unites with the oil sprayblown upwardly out of the pot. Thus vaporization and atomization of theoil takes place simultaneously withinthe oil pot.

The heat in the lower end of chamber ll acts upon the thermostatic sparkcontrol switch 29 and opens the jump spark circuit so that sparking ofthe element 21 ceases. In practice, the blue flames in the combustionchamber ll leave no carbon deposit on the combustion chamber wall orfloor, so that combustion of the gas is comv pleteand maximum heat iscreated. Due to this, the sparking element 41 does not foul with soot.

As a limited amount of oxygen is present in each air jet, only part ofthe gas is consumed during each stage of combustion; However, completeconsumption of the gas occurs by the time the last, or uppermost, airjets 45 of the stack 44, effect combustion with the generated mixture.

lated so that combustion of the generated gas is completed with theuppermost or last series of air I jets issuing from said stack 44.

I i ave round in practise that with this arrangement the gas orgenerated mixture, is entirely The rate of flow ofthe oil into the potis reguconsumed and that the greatest amount of heat accumulates in theupper end of the combustion chamber. By directing these hot gasesthrough the conduit l5 and downwardly through chamber 14, or throughfire tubes, efficient extraction of the heat is obtained.

When the temperature in the room or other place where the switch 24 islocated, reaches the point at which itfunctions to open the electricalsystem, the automatic control valve 23 is closed and stops the flow ofthe oil into the pot so that the flame promptly extinguishes. Of course,the blower I9 also ceases to function.

As already pointed out, the burner II), when in operation, effects bothatomization and vaporiZation of the fuel oil. I have found that this, inconjunction with the air or oxygen feed arrangement of the burner, asdisclosed, results not only in smokeless and complete combustion of thefuel, but in producing a blue flame which leaves no carbon deposit atany point in the combustion chamber and a maximum amount of heat is,therefore, generated by this burner unit.

It is also to be noted that the, air feed arrangement of the burnercreates a gaseous mixture with the atomized and vaporized oil fuelmedium such that a balanced flame condition exists in the combustionchamber at all times.

Burner 1 may be embodied in another form of burner, such for example, asillustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, wherein the parts whichare substantially similar to the parts of the burner Ill, are designatedby corresponding reference numerals, having the exponent a addedthereto.

In this modified form of my burner invention, I have added a novel pilotflame arrangement which functions to preheat'the burner, and effectsignition of the fuel at the time that the burner is turned on.

From Fig. 4, it will be seen that the construction of this modified formof burner, comprises an oil pot substantially the same as before.However, that in this arrangement, the air for overcoming the vacuumcreated by the vertical air jets is introduced into the oil pot throughan annular series of apertures 5| in the air stack 44a, and that the oilpot is centrally located within, and spaced from, the casing 35a by apartition or wall 35b, thus providing an annular oil channel 52 whichsurrounds the oil pot.

A branch oil line 53, leads from the oil line Zia, to the bottom of thechannel 52, and liquid oil is constantly maintained in this channel atthe point shown in Fig. 4, by properly positioning the float valve 34a,as clearly illustrated in the said figure. The oil in the channel 52serves to provide a slow burning annular flame in this instance, whichburns continuously when the main, or central oil burner is on or off.When the main burner unit is automatically shut down, as previouslydescribed in connection with the first form of my invention, the flow ofoil to the channel 52 continues as controlled by the liquid level valve34a, and the oil in this channel continues to burn so that the annularfiame' produced functions as a pilot burner, which additionally keepsthe centrally located oil pot in preheated condition for instantaneousignition of the fuel generated therein when the electro-magneticallycontrolled valve 23a is turned on in conjunction with the flow of air inconduit l8a, as previously explained.

One or more annular series of apertures 55 in the casing 35a provide theproper amount of air flow to the pilot flame, and assist in inducingsmokeless combustion of the generated oil mixture or medium.

If desired, a second emergency valve 33a may be located in this burnerunit arrangement, as

. shown, in order to provide a means for simultaneously cutting off theflow of fuel oil through the oil lines Zia and 53.

The burner unit of Figs. 4 and 5 functions in principle the same as theunit of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, in that the fuel oil is converted into anatomized and vaporized fuel medium properly mixed with air or oxygen toproduce a highly combustible gas, resulting in a smokeless blue flameburnin of the combustible mixture produced.

It will be understood that the pilot flame arrangement of the burner ofFigs. 4 and 5, in conjunction with the spark element 27a, provides adual ignition system. Also, that this arrangement not only keeps thecentrally located main burner or oil pot in preheated condition at alltimes, so as to effect instantaneous functioning of this burner whenautomatically turned on, but additionally insures that ignition of thefuel generated in the main burner will take place in the event that theannular pilot flame in the channel 52 is accidentally extinguished.

Of course, my novel burner unit, and burner, as shown and described, canbe changed and modified in various ways, without departing from theinvention herein disclosed, and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. An oil burner of the character described pressure through anannularseries of vertical apertures whose upper ends terminate below the liquidlevel of the oil trough, and to direct secondary currents of air underpressure through an annular series of apertures in the duct at a pointabove said first series and in a direction so that the secondarycurrents of air intersect the combustible mixture created by the oil andprimary currents of air.

2. An oil burner of the character described comprising a pot having anannular oil trough at its bottom and an annular series of air feedingapertures in the Wall thereof above the trough; means to supply oil tothe trough; and an air duct centrally positioned in said pot andarranged to direct air under pressure through an annular series ofvertical apertures whose upper ends terminate below the liquid level ofthe oil trough and one or more of which apertures are enlarged at theirupper ends, and to direct air under pressure through one .or moreannular series of apertures in the duct at a point above said firstseries.

3. An oil burner of the character described comprising a pot having twoannular oil troughs, and an annular series of air feeding apertures inthe wall thereof above the troughs; an air duct centrally located insaid pot and arranged to direct air under pressure through an annularseries of vertical apertures whose upper ends terminate below the liquidlevel of one of said oil 4. An oil burner of the character describedcomprising a pot having two annular oil troughs at different elevationsin said pot and an annular series of air feeding apertures in the wallthereof above the troughs; an annular partition separating said troughs;individual means for supplying oil to the respective troughs; an airduct centrally located in said pot and arranged to direct air underpressure through an annular series of vertical apertures whose upperends ter= v minat'e below the liquid level of one of said oil troughs,and to direct air under pressure through one or more annular series ofapertures in the duct at a point above said vertical apertures.

5, An oil burner of the character described comprising a pot having anannular oil trough at its bottom and an annular series of air feedingapertures in the wall thereof above the trough; means to supply oil tothe trough; an air duct centrally located in said pot and arranged todirect air under pressure through an annular series of verticalapertures whose upper ends terminate below the liquid level of the oiltrough, and to direct air under pressure through a plurality of annularseries of apertures in the duct at different elevations above the top ofthe pot.

6. In an oil burning apparatus of the character described, thecombination of a vertically positioned pot having an annular oil trough,oil feeding means arranged to maintain oil at a predetermined level insaid trough, means arranged to convert oil from said trough into anupwardly flowing annular stream of oil spray, air directing meansarranged in a circle along the path of travel of said stream of oilspray, and means for continuously feeding air under pressure into saidstream of oil spray through said air directing means.

7. In an oil burning apparatus of the character described, thecombination of a vertically positioned pot having an annular oil trough,oil feeding means arranged to maintain oil at a predetermined level insaid trough, means arranged to convert oil from said trough into anupwardly flowing annular stream of oil spray, air directing meansarranged in a circle along the path of travel of said annular stream ofoil spray, for directing air into the latter substantially radially andoutwardly from the inner perimeter thereof, and means for feeding airunder pressure through said air directing means.

8. In an oil burning apparatus of the character described, thecombination of a vertically positioned cylindrical pot having an annularoil trough at its bottom, oil feeding means arranged to maintain oil ata predetermined level in said trough, a circular series of aperturesextending vertically through the bottom wall of said pot and arranged sothat their upper ends are below said oil level, means for feeding airunder pressure through said apertures to thereby convert.

oil from said trough into an upwardly flowing stream of oil spray, andmeans for continuously feeding air under pressure into said oil spray inan angular direction relative to the latter.

9. In an oil burning apparatus of the character described,thecombination of a vertically positioned cylindrical pot having anannular oil trough at its bottom, oil feeding means arranged to maintainoil at a predetermined level in said trough, a circular series ofapertures extending vertically through the bottom wall of said pothaving cup-shaped enlargements at their upper ends into which the oilfrom the trough flows when the oil in said trough reaches said prede--termined level, a second series of apertures extending verticallythrough the bottom wall of acter described, the combination of avertically.

positioned cylindrical pot having an annular oil trough, oil feedingmeans arranged to maintain oil at a predetermined level in said trough,an

annular series of apertures extending vertically through the bottom wallof said pot and arranged so that their upper ends are below said oillevel,

means for feeding air under pressure through said apertures to therebyconvert oil from said trough into an upwardly flowing stream of oilspray, an annular series of apertures in the side wall of said pot abovesaid oil level arranged to effect feeding of air at atmospheric pressureinto said pot, a cylindrical conduit closed at the 3 top and open at thebottom connected at its lower end with the pot in such manner as to becentrally positioned in the latter and arranged to extend a substantialdistance above the same, l

a multiplicity of series of circularly arranged apertures extendingthrough the wall of said conduit at different levels above said pot, andmeans connected with the lower open end of said conduit and theapertures in the bottom wall of the pot for feeding air under pressurethrough the same.

J 11. In an oil burning apparatus of the character described, thecombination of a vertically feeding means arranged to maintain oil at apredetermined level in said trough, means arranged to convert oil fromsaid trough into an upwardly flowing stream of oil spray, a cylindricalconduit closed at the top and open at its bottom connected at its lowerend with the pot in such manner as to be centrallyv positioned inpositioned pot having an annular oil trough, oil

the latter and arranged to extend a substantial distance above the same,one or more series of circularly arranged apertures extending throughthe wall of said conduit above the pot, and means for feeding airunderpressure through said conduit and the apertures in its wall.

LOUIS WINTER.

